Entry No. 2 — the Denver file — filed under: public art
Cat Alley (Alley Cats by Kelly Monico)
Wander into the right unmarked alley off Larimer between 14th and 15th and you'll start noticing them — cats. Hundreds of them. Roughly 300 cast and figurine cats by local artist Kelly Monico perch on windowsills, gutters, streetlights and rooftops, more than 25 breeds, some customized. Get to the middle of the block and hidden speakers kick in with cat sounds, so the whole alley quietly comes alive around you. It's free, it's never advertised, and you only find it by stumbling in.
The story
Alleys in downtown Denver usually exist for delivery trucks, dumpsters, and kitchen smoke breaks. Duck off Larimer Street into the narrow passage between 14th and 15th Streets, however, and you enter a service corridor quietly claimed by roughly 300 ceramic and plastic felines. Installed in 2018 by Metropolitan State University of Denver art professor Kelly Monico as part of the Between Us alleyway initiative curated by Black Cube Nomadic Museum, Alley Cats takes the threat out of a dark urban backstreet by subverting it with deliberate, kitschy surrealism.
Monico gathered hundreds of mass-produced cat figurines—representing more than 25 breeds—and arranged them into three primary 'colonies' along the brickwork. Look closely and you'll find them perched on air conditioning units, clinging to fire escapes, crouched on breaker boxes, tucked into gutters, and peering down from high rooflines. Midway down the alley, hidden speakers kick in with recorded meows and purrs, turning a routine walk past kitchen back doors into an eerie, playful scavenger hunt.
What it's like
Arrive during daylight hours, as hunting miniature figurines in dark shadows is nearly impossible. There are no signs announcing the entrance, so aim for the block between Larimer and Market Streets and walk right into the working service alley. The experience alternates between a casual scavenger hunt and mild paranoia as you scan window ledges and pipe joints, only for hidden speakers to start meowing at you mid-block. Because this remains an active downtown passageway, keep clear of dumpsters, doorways, and delivery staff making their rounds.
The move: Treat it as a scavenger hunt — see who can spot the most cats and the weirdest customized one before the hidden speakers start meowing at you mid-alley.
📍 Before you go The alley has no sign, so set your sights on the 14th-and-Larimer corner and walk west toward 15th — the cats run the block behind the storefronts, roughly between Larimer and Market. Come in daylight: half the fun is spotting figurines tucked on sills, gutters and fire escapes, which is near-impossible after dark. It's a free public alley with no reservation or admission, but it's a working downtown passage, so keep clear of doorways and dumpsters. City alley art does get rotated, so check it's still up before a long trip. You're steps from Larimer Square's restaurants and the 16th Street Mall — easy to fold into a longer wander.
- 📍 LoDo / Larimer Square
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Alley between 14th and 15th Streets off Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202 (unmarked — near Larimer Square, the 16th Street Mall alleyways)
Hours: Outdoor public alley, accessible anytime; best in daylight when you can actually spot the cats. It's a city alley installation, so worth a quick check it's still up if visiting much later.
Pair it with
- Understudy — Trade a cat-filled service alley for another odd spatial art project tucked inside a 700-square-foot stairwell wedge at the nearby convention center.
- RUMTUM UV-Reactive Mural — Pair a daytime scavenger hunt for alley cats with a RiNo street mural that hides an entire second painting under UV light.
- One River North (MAD Architects canyon floors) — Contrast miniature figurines tucked onto brick ledges with a 16-story apartment building carved open by a four-story canyon.
Good to know
Where is Cat Alley located?
It is located in the unmarked service alley running between 14th and 15th Streets, situated between Larimer and Market Streets behind Larimer Square.
How much does it cost and what are the hours?
It is completely free to visit and accessible 24/7 as an open public alley, though daylight is recommended so you can actually see the figurines.
How many cats are installed in the alley?
There are roughly 300 cat figurines representing more than 25 breeds hidden along the architecture.
Why is the alley making noises?
Hidden speakers installed near the center of the block broadcast ambient cat sounds and meows as visitors walk past.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: 9news.com · Official site · blackcube.art · urbnexplorer.com
last checked: 2026-06-07